Victory Vaka’s fight to continue his college football career received an unexpected assist from rapper Lil Wayne.
According to CBS Sports reporter Chris Hummer, Lil Wayne stepped in to help Vaka during his legal battle after Western Kentucky revoked his scholarship following the death of his mother. Lil Wayne paid the legal costs associated with hiring college sports attorney Darren Heitner, who helped Vaka fight for the opportunity to enter the NCAA transfer portal. Wayne also flew Vaka and his brother to his concert on Aug. 1 so they could meet him.
Vaka’s agent, Jaykwon Jefferson, told CBS Sports that the situation “touched Wayne and he wanted to help in any way possible,” calling the financial assistance “a major lifesaver.”
Vaka’s Fight to Leave Western Kentucky
Vaka transferred to Western Kentucky in January 2026 for what was expected to be his fifth and final college football season. The former three-star recruit had previously played at BYU, College of the Canyons, Texas Southern and Northern Arizona. He participated in Western Kentucky’s winter workouts and most of spring practice before his mother died on April 2. Vaka returned home following her death, and the university allowed him to finish the semester remotely. He believed he was expected to return to campus in June.
Instead, Western Kentucky revoked his scholarship at the end of May, citing a “failure to report,” according to Hummer’s CBS Sports reporting. Because the scholarship cancellation was classified as disciplinary, Vaka was initially unable to use the NCAA’s aid-cancellation exception to enter the transfer portal. With the regular transfer portal window already closed, his path to another school became complicated.
Vaka eventually took legal action against the NCAA and, after receiving an injunction, was granted the opportunity to enter the transfer portal.
Vaka Finds a New Home at MTSU
After entering the portal, Vaka quickly found his next opportunity.
He is now enrolled at Middle Tennessee State University, giving the 6-foot-3, 335-pound defensive tackle another chance to finish his college football career. For Vaka, the road to MTSU has been anything but ordinary. After losing his mother, losing his scholarship and fighting through a complicated NCAA transfer situation, he received an unexpected helping hand from Lil Wayne.
Now, Vaka gets another chance to finish what he started.
